Knitted fabric for hosiery



Sept'. 13, 1932-.- H. HARRIS 1,877,458

KNITTED FABRTC FOR HOSIERY Filed Dc. 17; 1931 2 sheen-sheet 1 Sept.13,1932. HANS., 1,877,458

mum'xln FABRIC FOR HosIERY Y Filed Dec. 1v. 1931 2 sheets-sheet 2 /02-special sL'fa'ez- C'n/ Azz @Home @afinar 0M.: '-mzrerwz/ rma-smh n l...FFE-...5. 4 4 4 Patented .sep-t. 13, V1932 y UNITED .s1-Arasr PATENToir-'rica nanny nanars, or cnoynon, PENNSYLVANIA, nssIGNon ro LABGMAN,'maar con-Iv l Pam?, or -caoYDoN, rENNsYLvANIA, .a conPoRarIoN for'PnNNez'LSuma,Y e f xNITrED FABRIC For. HosIERY Application filed'December 17, 1931i.' Serial No. 581,754.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in knitted fabricsand more particularly to a knitted fabric yadapted for use in themanufacture of full-fashioned hosiery, the primary object of theiiiventiorbeing to provide a new and iniprovedmethod of producing afabric and a new and -improved fabric wherein the same is formed withlacelike patterns producing a most desirable shadowed effect.

A further object of the invention resides in providing va means forproducing a fabric and a fabric wherein a plurality of rectangularblocks are formed through the provision of vertical and horizontallines, the vertical and horizontal lines being respectively formed insaid fabric through different mediums on a flat or full-fashionedknitting machine.

A still further object resides in the making of a fabric wherein thevertical lines, lor those running in the direction of the wales, areproduced by omitting one sinker of the knitting machine at regular andpredeter-l mined intervals or by utilizing 4a special slotted sinker andwherein the horizontal lines or those running crosswise in the directionof the courses, are formed by producing a predetermined number of tightcourses .at certain predetermined and regular intervals in the knittingof the fabric, thereby to produce blocks in .the fabric of predeterminedand definite size which produce .a shadow effect, iving to the hosierymade of such fabric a eautiful and most desirable ap arance.

further object of the invention resides in the production of a fabricand the means for accomplishing itso that blocks of varied sizes may beproduced therein, according to the desire of the manufacturer.

The lace effects are simulated in two ways which may either be usedalone or in combination with each other, depending upon the desiredfabric. I have discovered that by knitting certain loops in eitherpredetermined courses or predetermined wales or both with an abnormallysmall amount of yarn, pleaslng lace effects are obtained that heretoforewere never obtainable. Thus, during the sinking operation I omit4certain sinkers from operation or render their operation ineffective.for measuring loops. The .resultant loops will fbe constricted and theremaining loops of the fabric will consequently be relatively larger. Asva result of this, the fabric has `an, open work appearance such as iscommonl called lace work in the knitting art beca-use 1t simulates lace.Another resultof omitting sinkers is that in the subsequent loopldrawing operation the constricted loops .will rob adjacent loops sothat there will be a gradation of loop size between the most constrictedloopsand neighboring larger loops or normal size loops. This will give apleasing shadow effect not heretofore obtained -so far asam aware.

The constricted loops, as above described, are produced by renderingcertain sinkers entirely ineffective. Of course, similar effects to aless marked degree might be obtainedpby rendering sinkers only partiallyor slightly effective. This leads me to my other method above mentioned.In certain predetermined courses all the sinkers can vbe made to measureshorter loopsthan normal or in other ways, shorter loops may :be formed.These interspersed with normal length or longerV loops in other courseswill have the result similar to that above described. The resultantfabric will have an open work or lace-like effect wit a somewhat shadowyappearance.

These two methods can be used separately 'or together to makeeitherhorizontal or ve tical stripes or figured areasof various kind y such assquares, rectangles, etc. In fact, any design-might be produced by mymethod, but

`that is a matter of fabric designing and needs 'no further discussionhere.

Thus, still another object of the invention'V resides in the productionof a fabric to produce the effect aforesaid with a means which is moreor less simple and inexpensive, so that the cost of production ofhosiery made of such fabric will not be unduly increased, and the fabricwill have an enhanced appearance which has thus far never beenproducedin a fabric so far as I am aware. v v

With these and otherobjects .in view my invention consists in the novel,features of construction, combination and arrangement lmanner and saiddrawings forming a ment of the threads in the knitting process whichproduces the blocks in said fabric.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of a section of the fabric showing theefi'ect when all needlesfare workingone sinker being out or inplacethereof a special slotted sinker substituted and two succeedingsinkcrs remain. inging.

Figure 4 is a similar view wherein the effect is produced with a largerblock, one. sinker being out or the special slotted sinker substitutedand three succeeding snkers remaining in.

'Figure 5 is a similar View showing the efl'ect with a still largerblock formed in the fabric with one sinker out or a special slottedsinker substituted and four succeeding sinkers remaining in.

vFigure 6 is an elevation of a specially provided sinker slotted fromits outer end.

' Figure 7 is an enlarged detail elevation of a section of fabric madewithout any transverse lines being formed therein; and

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic viewof a section of the fabric showing theeffect as produced .by the disclosure in Figure 7.

I have not attempted to show all the various patterns that might be madeby the use of my invention. Instead, I show certain illustrative simplepatterns that have been made and have proven very satisfactory.

In describing the invention, I shall refer to the drawings in whichsimilar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views and in which 1 desi nates a stocking leg, the welt ofwhich is designated by the numeral 2 and the numeral 3 represents thefoot attached thereto. The leg is shown as being made of a fabricproducing a plurality of rectangular blocks designated by the numeral 4,the same being formed through the medium of vertical and horizontallines. As shown, the blocks continue through a portion of the foot andstop at the welt, but it will be understood that these blocks may beformed in the welt and throughout the length of the stocking if desired.

In carrying out my invention I desire to produce a `fabric in which thebody of the blocks which are formed are knit in the usual blocks' areformed by the productionof vertical and horizontal lines, that is, lineswhich run in the direction of the wales and lines which run cross-wiseor in the direction ot' the courses. For convenience I have designatedin the drawings the crosswise or horizontal lines by the numeral 5 andthe vertical lines, running in the direction of the wales as In. orderto produce the horizontal linesf .a predetermined number of tightcourses are formed at regular and predetermined intervals in theknitting of the fabric, such tight coursesbeing'provided in a usual orlany .well-known manner.` ()n the other hand, I produce the verticallines or those ruiming in the direction of the wales by preferablyomitting a sinker in the knitting machine at prcdetermined and regularintervals yin the knitting process, or by the use ot' a special slottedsinlicr such as designated by the numeral T in Figure (l. Yliereas inthe ordinary knitting ot' the fabric under normal conditions. such as isillustrated in the blocks 4. there is a certain amount of openwork inthe stitches. the omitting of tliesinker at certain intervalsl or theuse of the slotted sinker T produces a closely knit line or the likedesignated by the numeral (3.

Note that i-n either case, by omitting sinkers wale-wise or producing,tight stitches course-wise, I consti-ict certain predetermined loops.lt is this constriction ot' the loops as distinguished fromelongatioi'is ot the loops that produces the phenomenal lace or openwork effect. lt is this constrictiug ot loops which also causesl theshadow efiect which results` from the abnormally tight loops robbingadjacent loops which have been measured with or been made to draw thenormal or greater amount of yarn. Note also that I do not resort todisplacing or 'shitting loops. All the loops have exactly the sainestructures or formations. The loops are only different in size. 'lhegistot the invention, as applied to a. t'ull fashioned machine, is tomake the sinkers advance an abnormally short distance or not advance atall.

The etlfect of the tight courses designated by the numeral 5 in thefabric appears obvious and both this effect and that designatedby thenumeral 6 are clearly illustrated, under enlargement, in Figure 2` ofthe drawings. In this particular view every third sinker is omitted sothat there is one sinker out yor special` slotted snker substituted andthe succeedingtwo sinkers in, and at alltimes, all needles are in themachine and working.'

In makingthis fabric with square designs, in all the blocks thatarevforined in this fabric, the tightcourses are placed distances apartto conform with the distance apart that the vertical liiies aredisposed. In other words, where a fabric is formed with every fifthsinker out, or by substituting'the special slottedA sinker for everyfifth sinker, eight courses are made before putting in four tightcourses. In subh a setup, a block is formed and in the case where thefabric is made with two sinkers in and one sinker out or a special cutsinker provided every third sinker, it only requires four courses beingknitted before putting in four tight courses to form a smaller block.

In Figure 3, I have shown a diagrammatic view of a fragment of fabricmade with every third sinker omitted or a special slotted sinkersubstituted so as to produce blocks of a very small size, this viewbein(Y quite an enlargement over the original produced under suchcircumstances.

As indicated above, blocks or squares of various sizes may be producedand in Figure 4 I have shown a diagrammatic view under enlai'geinent'ofa fragment of the fabric made wherein one sinker is out or specialslotted sinker substituted and three succeeding siiikers remain in sothat every fourth' sinker is omitted or substituted with special slottedsinker. The tight courses are formed or blocks are produced.

Figure 5 illustrates diagrammatically the fabric made under theconditions wherein every fifth sinker is either omitted or substitutedwith a special slotted sinker and the tight courses are formed atgreater intervals so as to. produce blocks or rectangles of stillgreater size than those illustrated in Figures 3 and 4.

These are merelyillustrations'of the patterns that may be produced byomitting one sinker or substituting a special sinker at variousintervals and correspondingly forming tight courses at variousintervals. It will be understood, however, that I do not Wish to belimited in this respect as sinkers may be omitted or special slottedsinkers substituted and tight courses formed at any points or intervalsas may be desired to produce Whatever pattern is desired. It usuallyrequires four tight courses to produce a transverse line which matchesor is equivalent in width to the vertical line formed by omitting asinker or usin r a special slotted sinker.

In Figure 6 of the drawings, I have shown the specially constructedsinker which may be used in the machine where it is not desired to omita siiiker. In other words, a sinker may be left out at. certainintervals or in piace of leaving out such a regular sinker, there may nesubstituted for the regular siniier a sinker such as shown in Figure G.The sinker is designated by the numeral 7 and is provided with a slot 8extending inwardly thereof from the outer end of said sinker. Theefi'ect of such a slot in the sinker appears obvious.

It will be understood in the manufacture of mv improved fabric that theneedles are working in the machine at all times. It is known thateffects have been attempted by f 5 what is known as the needle-outmethod but such method of omitting or dropping needles produces anentirely different effect from that producedby omitting sinkers or usingslotted sinkers. Through my improved method shadowed blocks are providethe same to the vconsumergin a form which is attractive to the; yeyeof`said consumer, attractive on the legofk the consumer and which will bedurable in use. Hosiery'.

made in accordance with my invention swers these requirements. l InFigures 7 and 8, I have showi v and no transverseliiies. Suchvalfabric'will Y give a slenderizing effect `Whenf}into hosiery. In otherwords, the vert'ihcililines'. represented by the numeral 6 are formed,in the fabric at `predeterminedintervals by either omitting a siiikeratsuch intervals or by substituting for the regular sinker'fat suchintervals the specially constructed and :slot-i" il i tedsinker suchasfshown in F igiiref.v This produces a series of lines 6 in thefabricas p. 'clearly shown in the diagrammatic viewV il.l

lustrated in Figure 8. Otherwise, the yfabric is constructed asheretofore described.A The i,

invention teaches the production of horizontal lines.. However, simplehorizontal'line4 patterns would ordinarily` n`ot be desirable in hosierybecause, conversely toV vertical lines, they give a fattening appearanceto the leg of the wearer. y, v

From the foregoing description of the con` struction of my improved-fabric and the method of manufacturing the same,"the invention will bereadily understood and it will be seen that I have provided acomparatively inexpensive and simple means for accomplishing the objectsof the invention,

While I particularly describe the elements best adapted to perform thefunctions set forth, it is obvious that various changes in form,proportion and in the minor details of construction may be resorted toWithout departing from the s irit or sacrificing any of the principlesof t e invention.

Having thus described, my invention what is claimed is: il-ff 1. Amachine knitted fabric simulating lace, which comprises loops knitted toa size below the normal of the machine, interspersed y in apredetermined pattern with .loops at least of a size normal for thatmachine, and loops between the constricted and normal size loops beingof an intermediate size.

2. A weft knitted lace-like fabric, comprising in predetermined courses,loops of a arn wholly or in part robbed from adjacent oops, other loopsmade up of yarn undisturbed by robbing, loops intermediate the lfirstnamed and last named loops having a deficiency of yarn because ofrobbing.

' deficiency of yarn because of robbin 3. A weft knitted lace-likefabric comprising in predetermined courses, loops of yarn wholly or 1npart robbed from adjacent y made up of yarn undisoo s, other loopsturb'edy by robb1ng,` loops intermediate the first named and last `namedloops having comprising in other courses loops s orter than loops ofcol'rse A fabric on equidistant knitting elements which the spacebetween certain adjacent elements 5. That consists in feeding yarn toall knitting elements by measuring and forming loops in loops of yarnremaining after robbing.

6.4 That method of knitting a lace-like weft fabric which comprises inpredetermined courses knitting loops of yarn robbed from adjacent loops,other loo s of yarn undisturbed by robbin land, oops intermediate thefirst named an last named loops of yarn remainin from robbing, andknitting other courses o loops all of the same size.

' In testimony whereof, I

- HARRY HARRIS.

the previously mentionedv hat method of knitting a lace-like,

of yarn robbed fromV affix my signature. v

